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I'm fortunate enough to own an original issue of The Avengers #1, but I'm a sucker for the Facsimile Editions which Marvel periodically publish, so I promptly purchased one when it became available. That's it above, and also below, alongside the actual first ish from 1963. One critical observation: On the cover of the facsimile, the names of Ant-Man and Hulk are slightly squint, as they've been in most reprints of this cover in recent years. I'd have thought someone would've noticed the flaw by now and fixed it, but obviously not. On the plus side, the interiors do have the 'Continued After Next Page' lines, which aren't included in all facsimiles, not sure why. Carelessness? Who knows, but I wish they were more consistent. Anyway, still worth having so grab one while you can, as some of the earlier facsimiles now have hefty asking prices on eBay.
10 comments:
Did the original first issue of the Avengers not have a date in the box like the facsimile Kid ? Nice to have an original copy as the same.
It did for the American readers, McS, but then amendments were made for UK readers as the comics didn't arrive here until months later as they were sent over as ballast in ships. Once the US (and Canadian) versions had been printed, the plates then had the dates removed, the US price substituted by the UK one, and 'Distributed by Thorpe & Porter' added to the indicia inside the cover. (In fact, it's always possible that two sets of plates were made at the same time, so that the two versions could be printed one after the other.) Both versions were printed on the same presses and the interior newsprint pages were the exact same in every way.
I notice the Wasp's name doesn't appear above the Avengers masthead and she's not in the corner-box either. I'm reminded of how Valkyrie was omitted from the corner-box of The Defenders for a long time despite being a member of the team. Was this misogyny in both cases?
Nah, misogyny's overstating things, CJ, but in the Wasp's case, she was really only Ant/Giant-Man's sidekick, not a major player in her own right (at that time anyway). I think it was probably more down to lack of space. And maybe she is in that corner box, but just too small to see. (Where's my No-Prize?)
I picked this one up and gave it a flip through. I own this story so many times over (including the original real deal) that I couldn't justify it on the day. But you make me regret my decision. Perhaps?
I also own several reprints of the tale, RJ, in collected editions, etc., but it's always good to have a separate individual copy for handy reference. It saves reaching for the original and risking damaging it in some way. Go on - it's only a few dollars.
The Wasp brought one inimitable quality to the table: she was the only one for whom Stan could write funny lines. Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and both versions of Henry Pym were all pretty dour types. To be sure, when the old guard left and you had Captain America, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye, there was still only one hero, Hawkeye, who got any funny lines, though maybe Cap got to put in the occasional dry barb.
She also brought good looks to the table, GP, especially when Don Heck drew her. As a lad, sometimes I couldn't make up my mind who I fancied more - Susan Storm, Wanda the Scarlet Witch, or Janet Van Dyne. Decisions, decisions.
I was reserving some books from the library and encountered way too many of these when looking for "volumes" of the Lee Era. They were Spider-Mans.
There can never be too many for me, PH - I love 'em.
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